Challenges

Data is notoriously slippery and hard to manage, so it should be no surprise that there are numerous challenges to implementing data governance. Delivering each of the success factors above is a tall order. Organizations encounter obstacles that can torpedo a fledgling data governance program. Chief among them is getting businesspeople to participate and take ownership of a data governance program.

According to an ongoing data governance benchmark assessment conducted by Eckerson Group, a majority of organizations (54%) have a lack of data stewards to manage data domains.

Other challenges are “conflicting priorities (46%), “lack of a plan (46%), “unclear responsibilities” (46%), “lack of time” (44%), “lack of adequate tools” (40%), “resistance to change” (38%), and “lack of executive support” (37%), among others. (See figure 3.)